English Reference
noun · adjective

estate

n. · adj.
US /ɪˈsteɪt/ UK /ɪstˈeɪt/ es·tate UK spelling estate's, estate's, estating

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    n.a large area of land in the country, usually with one big house, owned by one person or family.

    n.an extensive area of landed property, typically under single ownership and including a substantial residence.

    Simple

    The family has owned a large country estate in Scotland for generations.

    In context

    The sprawling estate includes several hundred acres of ancient woodland and a private lake that the family maintains for conservation purposes.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    n.everything a person owns, including money and property, especially when they die.

    n.the collective assets, property, and liabilities of a person, particularly those left at death to be distributed by a will.

    Simple

    After her father died, she spent months managing his estate and paying his debts.

    In context

    The executors were tasked with liquidating the deceased's estate to ensure all outstanding creditors were satisfied before the remaining capital was distributed.

  3. 03 B1 Intermediate British English

    n.an area where many similar houses or apartments were built at the same time.

    n.a planned area of residential housing or industrial buildings.

    Simple

    They moved to a new housing estate on the edge of the city.

    In context

    The local council approved the construction of a new industrial estate to encourage tech startups to relocate to the region.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    n.a car with a long body and a large door at the back for carrying luggage.

    n.a car body style with a long roof and a rear door, designed to provide a large interior cargo area.

    Simple

    We bought an estate car because we needed more room for the dogs.

    In context

    The manufacturer released a hybrid version of their popular estate, targeting families who require significant boot space without sacrificing fuel efficiency.

    station wagon
  5. 05 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    n.all the computers, software, and technology that a company owns and uses.

    n.the collective information technology resources, including hardware, software, and network components, managed by an organisation.

    Simple

    The company is trying to move its entire digital estate to the cloud.

    In context

    Auditing the global digital estate revealed several legacy systems that were no longer compliant with modern security protocols.

  6. 06 C2 Proficiency FormalArchaic

    n.one of the social groups that people used to be divided into, like the nobles or the church.

    n.a major social class or order, historically possessing distinct political rights within a country.

    Simple

    In the past, the clergy was known as the First Estate.

    In context

    The tension between the different estates of the realm eventually led to a total restructuring of the nation's political system.

  7. 07 C1 Advanced Formal

    adj.a polite way to say that something, like jewelry, was owned by someone else before.

    adj.a euphemistic term for previously owned or second-hand goods, frequently applied to high-value items.

    Simple

    She bought a beautiful estate diamond ring at the auction.

    In context

    The boutique specialises in estate jewellery, offering rare pieces from the Victorian era that have been meticulously restored.

    pre ownedsecond hand
    new

Usage estate with a list

On the Sandringham estate, 18 out of nearly 170 properties with EPCs were rated F or G.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

Figures shared with BBC Scotland from commercial real estate data group Costar suggest average hotel prices have been growing year on year since 2019.

BBC News· 12 Aug 2026

From Middle English estat, from Anglo-Norman estat and Old French estat (French: état), from Latin status. Doublet of state and status.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin status
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Very common
Updated